Flavor-Enhancing Properties of Mushrooms

NEW SCIENCE

Flavor-Enhancing

Properties of Mushrooms

Study Overview

The study, Flavor-Enhancing Properties of Mushrooms in

Meat-Based Dishes in Which Sodium Has Been Reduced

and Meat Has Been Partially Substituted with Mushrooms,

conducted by University of California Davis (UC Davis) and

the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) was published in

the Journal of Food Science. Chef-instructors from the CIA

developed eight test recipes, including recipes featuring

The Blend™, adding nely chopped mushrooms to beef,

and a CIA registered dietitian performed nutrition analyses

on the recipe. Six beef taco blend recipes diering in added

salt and meat/mushroom blend ratios and two carne asada

recipes diering in meat/mushroom blend ratios were

developed. The intensity of the sensory attributes of the

mushroom preparations, taco blends, and carne asada

recipes were evaluated by a trained panel of 13 judges

using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis to determine the

avor eects of using a blend of chopped crimini and white

button mushrooms and ground beef, as well as sensory

mitigation of sodium reduction in the taco blends.

Key Study Findings

This proof-of-concept sensory study provides the basis

for how mushrooms and meat can combine for healthier

alternatives to iconic American dishes. As the study shows,

a traditional ground meat recipe prepared with 50 percent

mushrooms and 50 percent meat (or even 80 percent

mushrooms and 20 percent meat) can:

• Reduce calorie, fat and sodium intake, while adding

in B vitamins -- riboavin (28%), niacin (20%) and

pantothenic acid (27%).

• Enhance the overall avor, because of double the impact

of umami

• Maintain avor while reducing sodium intake by 25 percent

Tips for Cooking Mushrooms

The study demonstrated that cooking methods have an

eect on the avor prole of white mushrooms.

• Sear mushrooms for a more intense roasted, charred

and smoky avor and overall aroma.

• Roast mushrooms to get more sweet, salty and umami

tastes with caramelized, nutty and buttery avors.

When cooked properly, mushrooms can take on the

texture and consistency of meat. For the best blend results,

mushrooms should be chopped to match the consistency

of the meat they’re pairing with.

• One Pan Cooking (great for tacos, sloppy Joes and pasta

sauces): brown meat in a pan until cooked through, remove

and set aside. Then, add chopped mushrooms to the

same pan, sauté and return meat to the pan to complete

the recipe.

• Create a Mushroom Base (ideal for burgers, meatballs

and meatloaf): roast or sauté mushrooms ahead of time

to intensify avor and then nely chop to add to ground

meat dishes.

A new study from the Culinary Institute of America and University of California-Davis, published in the

Journal of Food Science, explored the avor-enhancing properties of mushrooms and found that blending

nely chopped mushrooms with ground meat enhances avor and nutrition.

Visit mushroomcouncil.com for the